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October 11, 2006
A Salutary Notion of Religion
Once again, George displays her brittle but piercing humor:
from Middlemarch
George EliotWhy did he not pay attention to Celia, and leave her to listen
to Mr. Casaubon?--if that learned man would only talk, instead of
allowing himself to be talked to by Mr. Brooke, who was just then informing
him that the Reformation either meant something or it did not, that he
himself was a Protestant to the core, but that Catholicism was a fact;
and as to refusing an acre of your ground for a Romanist chapel, all
men needed the bridle of religion, which, properly speaking, was the
dread of a Hereafter.
What a remarkably draconian view of the role of religion--to instill dread--that's certainly the road to relentless charity.
Posted by Steven Riddle at October 11, 2006 12:24 PM
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Comments
Thanks so much for your kind and generous words about my book, Steven.
I'm thrilled beyond words (of which I have many) that you totally get what I'm trying to do. Not for nothing is one of my favorite quotes about the Catholic church from James Joyce: "Here comes everybody."
Thanks for blessing me and my work,
Meredith
Posted by: Meredith Gould at October 11, 2006 4:09 PM
Dear Dr. Gould,
Thank you so much for stopping by. I took the liberty of copying this comment below. I'm so glad you were able to stop by.
shalom,
Steven
Posted by: Steven Riddle at October 11, 2006 7:35 PM